Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-01-19
KxeLAnp,s WV YEssELs.
Oae Of Them wonId Keep ear whole
navy ausy During a Rattle.
fHaa, york Mail ana Exnraas

ines York Mail and Express
The latest addition TO the English
navy is powerful armOr- clad baFbette
ship called Benbow. She was built by
the Thames Iron Works and Shipbuild
ing Company, and has Just been I'm
ished. She u nos IN the Chatham dock
yard, y ere she is receiving her arma
msnt. The Benbow IL one Of six vessels
Of the Admiral class, 20 called from
bearing the names Of six famous Ad.
miFals-Ansen, DollinQw00d, Camper
doEn, Hove. Rodney and Bsnbow.
They are all barbette ships, the guns be-
ing mounted insids circular braast
work OF thick armoF plating, where
10 the gun revolves on a turntable
and dres over the br0astwork. The
bart cites are placed al each end Of the
snDsrstEnctnFe or midship battery, aud
tbs Ruas have Oh q clear range Of 80
degrees, VIA, from twenty-five degrees
abaft the beam 10 all round the bow or
stern to twenty-five degrees on the OPP
posite side. verRing upon an object on
tne brosdsiae a. about Atty yards. The
Benbow will mount two guns OF ITO
tons eAch. enc being mounted in each
baFbotta. 10 the other Eve vessels OF
this class two guns are carried in each
harbette, has they only weigh sixty.
three tons each, instead 81 lilo tcus. In
addition 10 the two ITO tons, she Ben
bow carries a battery Of ten six-inoh
guns, twelve rapid airing guns. and
fourteen machine guns, these lat
ter are very conveniently arranged
against torp, do boats. She is also
fitted With four torpedo-poFts on the
bFoadstde and one through the upper
part Of the stem. all above water. She
vas launched 10 Jane, 1885. aud since
tben has en- lying IN the docks, hav.
ing her engines. machinery and war Dc.
ttngs placed IN position. These fittings
are ell Of modern invention, and con
aist Of pnmplns, draining and ventilat
ing eome leo separate compartments,
each compartment being fitted with an
automatic valve where the ysntiIafinR
pipe or trunk passes through, so that in
the event Of water entering eny one
compartment and rising 10 the height
Of the trunk the water would Close tie
valve.
some idea Of q modern English wr
vessel may be learned from examinipQ
= ship like the Benbsw. IL hhs no less
than 50 water tight doors and armor
deck shutters are cited In this vessel,
In addition 10 g water-tiebt doors thai
open and close by hand without gear.
The dcok-plates, 10 which indicators
are fitted showing when each valve is
open or closed, amount 20 no less than
go. 10 addition 10 the tive automatic
valves above mentioned. The dimsn-
sions Of the BsnboW are: Length, $50
feet; breadth. 6sN feet, and depth. %
fest. The engines are of three cylinder
compound type Of $500 indicated horse
power, and reaching 5000 sith forced
dranght. giving an estimated speed %
sixteen knots. The vital portion Of the
vessel for about half Of her length Is
pro led BY httng included IN an iron
hox aFmored with rs inch plates on the
side, the top Of which &C full draaRht 10
~ feet above the 5 feet below water,
giving dra1eht Of ~ feet. The
aihwAFtship halkheAds. fosminR The two
ends ct the citadel, arr rs inehes thick.
before aud abAft there IL an aFbor deck
Of inch steel plating. Except fer this
deck. which i calculated 10 shield ali
below IL from the IRE Of very heavy
guns. the ends o. the vessel are uppra-
teoted, and In heavy enaagemant the
snperstFucture wonld safer severely.
Ia the ease Of other types OF vessels
protecsson is afforded By belt % ar
NOR plating all fore aud al. being thick
est anldships and tapeFing toward the
end. Bas u IL evident thai all that
eoald Be done on tue dimensions and
displacement o. the Benbow has been
Gone; tor IN order 30 provide for The
dtspiaceuae1t Of the Arrnnr-aeak and
additional fgeeooard st the Nile ard
IFAfalsaF, tbs displacement tonnage
has bad IA be increased 500 toes. nak-
ins them 1000 tors disclaoemsat in.
stead ~ l0sloc IN TIE Bsnbsw.